Local News

Fire truck bid awarded to Front Range Fire

Police department gets another officer

By Jenni Grubbs

Times Staff Writer

Posted:
04/03/2014 04:00:00 PM MDT

Fort Morgan Mayor Terry McAlister swears in new Fort Morgan Police Officer Michael Yowell at the Fort Morgan City Council meeting Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at City Hall as Yowell's fiancee Elizabeth watches. (Lisa Northrup / Special to the Times)

Bidders seldom show up a Fort Morgan City Council meeting to advocate for their bids, but that was the case Tuesday night.

However, it was a losing battle for Sharon Sells from Mile High Fire Apparatus in Erie.

While her company had placed a low bid, that was not the only consideration the council ultimately used to make their decision to award the bid for a higher-priced contract to Front Range Fire of Frederick.

The fire department was seeking to replace a 1971 Mack pumper truck that "no longer has been able to keep up with its pump testing," according to Fort Morgan Fire Chief Erik Christensen, and replace it with the 1989 truck as the department's third truck. The current first one would slide back to second, and the new one would be the main pumper truck for fighting city fires.

Sells argued that the bid request did not specify certain things that may have changed the way she placed the bid or what equipment or particular systems were included. She also said that she had been told by the city that bidding out a truck of a different brand than the top preference would not mean automatic exclusion.

However, Sells' bid for a Smeal chassis rather than a Pierce one was one of the factors in the Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department Truck Committee's reasoning for recommending Front Range Fire's more expensive bid.

That was not the only reason, though, and the council made sure they understood why the department wanted the more expensive fire truck.

Councilwoman Christine Castoe first asked Cecil why the recommendation from the firefighters was for the most expensive bid.

"That one is $100,000 more than the others. Can you explain why?" she asked Cecil.

"This process, these books are just the end product," volunteer firefighter Tony Cecil said, indicating all the research materials the FMFD Truck Committee had gathered to makeits recommendation.

He said that the committee had used four years of around 35 firefighters' experiences on fire scenes, trips to global fire expos and other information gathering to make the recommendation.

"We know what an honor it is to get a new fire apparatus, but with that honor comes responsibility," Cecil said. "We're in a life-and-death business, whether it's volunteer or not. We depend on systems next to us. The reason the apparatus we're recommending is so much higher is it is the only apparatus that meets the requirements of the Fort Morgan Fire Department. That's on multiple levels."

He explained that having different types of apparatus could cause problems or waste time by not having it be the same to fight different fires with the various trucks.

"The recommended unit is speced identical to the other apparatus sitting in that barn next to it," Cecil said. "If I'm in a structure ... it doesn't matter who's on that panel, they can pump that pumper. I'll have water, I'll be safe."

It also would simplify maintaining the truck for the department, he said.

In the end, the council went with the Truck Committee's recommendation, awarding the bid to Front Range Fire for $558,204 for a 2014 Pierce Velocity Pumper fire truck, with a 100 percent pre-payment discount that saved the city $21,946 to bring the truck price to $536,258.

The council also approved purchasing loose firefighting equipment for the truck, for a total expenditure not to exceed $720,000.

Police Chief Darin Sagel introduced Michael Yowell to the council and then Mayor Terry McAlister swore him in.

Yowell was "born and raised in Hugo," Sagel said, adding that he went to the University of Northern Colorado, where he worked for the campus police. Then, he went to work for Lincoln County Sheriff's Office as a dispatcher and jail deputy.

In 2008, Yowell attended the Adams County Sheriff's Department Academy, after which he was promoted to patrol in Lincoln County, Sagel said.

"He's worked there since we were able to steal him away," Sagel quipped.

Yowell and his fiancee Elizabeth are in the process of moving to Fort Morgan, the chief said. Yowell will have to complete a 12-16-week field training program before taking on full patrol duties.

"This is a big milestone for any police officer," Yowell said. "I've only been here for a little bit, but I have seen law enforcement at its best and at its worst, and you should be proud of the people that carry a shield behind me. This is a good group of guys and I can't wait to get started and serve the citizens of Fort Morgan."

He said he and his fiancee were "excited" about coming to Fort Morgan.

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